Flushing apparatus.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN E. LOETZER, 0F SAY-BE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUSHING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN E.LOETZER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sayre, in the county of Bradford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flushing Apparatus; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. I

This invention relates to flushing apparatus for water closets, and the objects of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient flushing device, which shall be positive in action and leak-proof, and also to eliminate the objectionable fea-- tures incident to the use of apparatus of this character as ordinarily constructed and which consist of numerous parts, tending to increase the liability to get out of order and permit waste as well as the annoyance and expense incident thereto, especially where the consumer is supplied through a water meter, in which case the annoyance may be very great, because of the use of a float closing the ball-cock against the pressure of the water, thus opposing instead of utilizing such pressure in holding the flushing valve to its seat, and rendering liability to leakage a constant factor, and inasmuch as the water meter registers all water wasted through a leaky flushing apparatus a high water bill is added to the cost of repairs.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional elevation of a flushing apparatus embodying my invention; showing the flushing valve open; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the flushing valve closed; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A denotes a water receptacle or tank, which may be either round, square, or other convenient form, and may be finished, by nickle -plating, enameling or painting, as desired. In the form shown, the tank is square in cross-section and provided at its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1, 19 14. Serial-No. 848,353.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

top or upper end. with an inwardly extending marginal flange or plate a on which is supported a cover a secured to said flange by. suitable fastening bolts, so that the cover may be readily removed when desired. An auxiliary cover a having 3. depending marginal flange which is suitably apertured as at a for the admission or escape of air, is supported upon the tank by means of said marginal flange fitting around the edge of the cover a and resting upon the top or upper end of the tank A, whereby it is held in place, but may be removed by raising it sufficiently to free its pendent edge or flange from the edge of the cover a A packed or ground joint may be providedbetween the cover a and the .tank A to render such joint water-tight. A water supply pipe B extends through coincident apertures in the cover a. and auxiliary cover a and may be convemently supported by means of nuts screwed thereon, one above and the other below the cover a said nuts permitting any desired adjustment for regulating the flow or varyin the distance between the exit end 0 the supply pipe and the mouth of the pressure trap C located directly be low said exit end of said pipe. To cause the water to spread or flow toward the front of the tank as it issues from the supply pipe the lower end of the pipe B may be inclined toward the rear, as at b.

The letter D denotes the flushing valve body or case, which may consist of a short piece of pipe protruding through an opening in the bottom of the tank and exteriorly threaded below the tank for connection with a discharge pipe; being secured with provision for adjustment by suitable nuts screwed thereon, one above and the other below the bottom of the tank, together with suitable packing to insure a water-tight joint such as is well-known in the art.

The inner end of the casing D is preferably inclined, as shown, and so constructed as to form a seat for the valve E, which is hinged at the rear of the casing and adapted in opening to be thrown back against the pressure trap C, as shown in Fig. 1. The

valve E may be hinged upon a rod 6 pro-' it is desired to flush the bowl. The pressure trap C may consist of a tubular body having a closed bottom and open top, and

provided with an exit opening atone side or in front thereof so constructed as to provide a rest or valve seat for the back of the valve E when the latter is thrown into the position shown in Fig. 1; said seat and valve-back being preferably adapted to close the exit opening 0 so that said trap may be filled with water, and being arranged directly below the supply pipe B water admitted through said pipe will fill the trap, but the pressure exerted on the other side of the valve, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 of the drawings, will hold it to its seat until the water in the tank sinks to the level of the dotted line X.

T he letter F denotes an air valve which is slidably fitted in a casing G which may be secured to the cover a by means of a nut g screwed into an opening through said cover and having a reduced exteriorily screw-threaded portion screwed into the upper end of the casing G. The nut g is provided with an air port 9 below which the opening through the nut is slightly enlarged to receive a reduced end-portion of the valve F for closing said port 9 when the valve F is forced to its seat by the pressure of the water as it rises in the tank; the casing G being apertured in its bottom to permit the rising column of Water to raise the valve F and also suitably apertured as at g for the admission of air behind the valve F on the inflow of water, to. prevent a vacuum from being formed in the tank while water is being discharged, and to permit the egress of air when the tank is being filled with water.

In operation, the valve E being closed, as the water flows through the pipe B, it will gradually rise in the tank, forcing the air through the ports 9 and g in the valve casing G into the space between the cover a and the auxiliary cover a and from thence through the apertures at until the water reaches the height indicated by the dotted line X in Fig. 2 of the drawings, whereupon the valve F will be automatically closed by the pressure within the tank, and

sufficient air will be trapped below the cover a to form an air cushion for the purpose of preventing shock and water hammer. drawings indicate the pressure conditions in the tank during periods of rest, that is, when no flushing is in progress. In this condition the pressure is constant on the valve E, pressing the same tightly to its seat so as to entirely eliminate the liability of leakage. \Vhen the valve E is lifted, by manipulating the lever e, and thrown back into the position shown in Fig.1 of 35 the drawings, the Water in the tank A will The arrows in Fig. 2 of the- B, the water level will rapidly descend in the tank, and when it has reached the level indicated by the dotted line X the pressure against the face of the valve E will be relieved and the water descending into the trap will exert a pressure against the back of the valve, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, and when the water level falls to the dotted line XX the pressure behind the valve will automatically force said valve to its seat, thus shutting off the water so that the tank will again fill through the pipe 13 until the water level has reached a point indicated by the dotted line X in Fig. 2, at which point the air valve F will be automatically closed and the apparatus will then be ready for the next flushing.

It will be understood of course that Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; for example, the face of the valve E may be of any suitable material and shape -and the pipe B of such size and length as may be best adapted to accomplish the desired results. Any of the common forms of water-tight joints may be provided between the cover a and tank A, and the form or shape of the pressure trap and of the flushing and air valves and valve casings may be modified, and the general exterior appearance of the entire apparatus changed to suit the user-of manufacturer, without materially affecting the operation of the device.

The part marked as in Fig. 3eis a finger attached to rod 0 and is adapted to lift the valve E when the handle 6 is raised, if the valve E is not fixedly attached to the rod 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I tomatically forced to its seat to close the discharge as the duced.

2. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet pipe depending through its top, a flushing valve, a valve through which air is admitted in flushing and allowed to escape when filling the tank, and a pressure pressure in the tank is reopening during the flushing operation and to be automatically forced to its seat to close the discharge as the pressure in the tank is reduced.

3. In aflushing apparatus, a tank having an inlet pipe and a discharge pipe of larger capacity than said inlet pipe, a valve lid seated on said disbharge pipe, a pressure trap into which said inlet pipe empties having an outlet with a valve seat against which the back of said valve lid is seated to close said outlet when the flushing valve is opened, and an air valvethrough which air is admitted or allow-ed to escape in emptying and filling the tank, said airvalve being adapted to be closed by pressure of the water when the tank is nearly full so as to form an air cushion at the top. 2

4. A flushing apparatus comprising a closed tank having an air valve at the top controlling the admission and escape of air,

a flushing valve at the bottom, a pressure trap beside said flushing valve having an outlet adapted to be closed by the flushing valve lid when the latter is opened, an inlet pipe em tying directly into said pressure trap, an an operating handle outside of the tank for opening said flushing valve; the arrangement being such that the pressure of the water in the tank tends to hold said lid tightly against the seat on the pressure trap until the tank is nearly emptied and then force the lid onto the flushing valve seat and hold it by increased pressure as the tank is filled.

5. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet pipe, a flushing valve with discharge of larger capacity than said-inlet pipe, a pressure trap into which said inlet pipe empties having an outlet opening and valve seat against which the back of the flushing valve lid is seated to close said pressure trap when the flushing valve is open, and an air valve through which air may be admitted or discharged in emptying and filling the tank, the ports in the air valve casing being adapted to be closed before the tank is full so as to form an air cushion to prevent shock or water hammer.

6. In combination with a closed tank, a flushing valve havin an inclined seat, a pressure trap within t e tank having an outlet and valve seat inclined at an angle to the inclined seat of the flushing valve, and a valve lid hinged between said inclined seats and adapted to be thrown into position to close the outlet from the pressure trap during the flushing operation and to close the discharge from the tank at the end of such operation; the pressure of the waterin the tank being adapted to hold the valve lid to its seat in either position and to open the pressure trap and force the lid to close the flushing valve when the tank is nearly emptied.

7. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having a flushing valve normally closed by pressure within the tank, a pressure trap having an outlet adapted to be closed by the flushing valve lid when the flushing valve is opened and to be opened by the pressure 0 the water after flushing, an inlet .pipe arranged to discharge into said pressure tank, and an air valve for the admission and escape of air, all arranged and cooperating substantially as described.

8. Aflushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet, a flushing valve including a lid, means for raising the valve lid, a pressure trap having an outlet opening adapted to be closed by the flushing valve lid when raised, and means operated by the pressure of water in the tank for holding the valve lid raised during the flushing operation and for closing and holding it to its seat during periods of rest.

9. In combination with the tank having an inlet, a flushing valve with a lid normally closing the discharge and a lever for lifting said lid from its seat, means for holding the lid in a raised position by the pressure of water within the tank and for forcing it back to its seat when the pressure in the tank is reduced; a pressure trap having an outlet opening adapted to be closed by the flushing valve lid when raised, said tank being provided with an air valve for the admission and escape of air adapted to form an air cushion when the tank is being filled.

10. In combination with'the tank having a flushing valve, a pressure trap having an outlet opening adapted to be closed by the flushing valve lid when raised to open the valve, means for raising said lid, and an inlet pipe suspended through the cover of the tank and having an inclined end-portion discharging into the tank directly over said pressure trap.

11. In combination with a tank, a flushing valve casing protruding through the bottom of the tank and having an inclined valve seat, a' pressure trap having an outlet ter within the tank and adapted to be unsea-ted to open the pressure trap and forced to its seat on the flushing valve casing by pressure of the water in the tank at the end of a flushing operation, together with manu ally operated means for raising the valve against the pressure of the Water when the tank is re-filled.

12. A flushing apparatus comprising a tank having an inlet pipe, aflushing valve, and a pressure trap into which said inlet pipe empties having an outlet opening, the lid of said flushing valve being adapted to close said outlet opening during the flushing operation. 7

13. In combination with a tank, a flushing valve casing protruding through the botvalve seat, a pressure trap having an outlet with a valve seat inclined at an an le to the flushing valve seat, and a valve li adapted to be thrown into position to cover either 'the outlet from the tank or the pressure means for raising the valve against the pressure of the water.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing :as my own, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. tom of the tank and having an inclined CHRISTIAN E. LOETZER.

Witnesses:

J. I. MORLEY, H. G. MINOR. 

